The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-22

mankind. In thee [Abraham] and tn,
seed shall all the nations of the earth b.
blessed" Xxx. 49,. To Jacob, the grandson
of Abraham, for whom Israel was named
the blessing was confirmed: ain thee and in
| thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed" (xxviii. IA. The summary of the
Abrahamic blessing is, Gin thee and in thy
seed shall all the nations, families and kin
dreds of the earth be blessed" This prom
Use was the hope of Israel through all its
varied history, eliminating at last in the
hope and advent of the Messiah, TO be full
filled in the success of the mission of JESUS,
the Saviour of the world, and in the complete
triumph of the Redeemer's kingdom. CHRIST
and his apostles claim for the Gospel that it
is the chief, if not the final agency in the &C
complishment of the Abrahamic blessing.
st. Peter, addressing the Jews, whom he ex-
horted to repent having put to death the
Prince of Life, said, Eye are the sons of the
prophets and of the covenant which GoD
made with your fathers, saying unto Abra-
ham, And in thy seed shall all the families
of the earth be blessed" The agent, nature
and order of the blessings are indicated:
"Unto you first, Con, having raised up His
Servant, sent him to bless you in turning
away every one of you from his iniquities"
(Acts iii. 25). Abraham and the Hebrew
race have indeed been great blessing to
mankind in the religious faith and institu-
tious, including the Christian Church and
eternal life, which the world holds as an in
heritance from them. The final saliva
ton of all mankind from sin and its pain
full consequences, through JESUS CHRIST,
the Messiah of Israel, will mark the
glorious fulfillment of this ancient prom
Use, the basis of the 'eternsl hope" of the
world, foreshadowed in Eden, declared to
Patriarchs and Prophets, and realized in
the ministry and mission of the Son of Man,
who is declared to be the Son of COP, with
power by his resurrection from the dead, and
who has power to make all men sons of COP
through faith and righteousness.
The promise was fulfilled (1) in the benefits
which the world has received from the indus
try, wealth, genius and morality of the jew
ish people (even at the present day some of
the largest and most influential capitalists of
the world are Jews, and within a few years
two of the prime ministers of two of the
greatest of European nations have been
Jews); (2) in the benefits which have come
to the world through the Scriptures, the law,
the literature, the religious spirit, and partic-
ularly the monotheism of the Hebrew peo-
pie; and (3) in the blessings which have come
to the world through the Messiah, who was
"Abraham's seed. Rev. John Todd, d. d.
But can we properly say of the promise
that it "was fulhlled?" We suggest that
whatever of the blessings above set forth
have come to the world, not 'all the families,
nations, kindreds of the earth" have been SO
blessed, whether through the Jewish people,
or the Christian Church, with JESUS, the
''seed of Abraham and Eve, at the head.
Vast generations have gone to the grave
without share in Jewish or Christian inf1u-
ence; while of those who have come in con-
tact with either, but small proportion have
received the benefit apostolicaliy set forth.
The promise has not been fulfilled, but is in
process of fulfllment. JESUS began with the
Jews of his day, to bless them by turning them
away from their iniquities. He is now turn
ing souls away from their iniquities. Though
many resist his influence and SPIRIT he has
before him for his opportunity the vast cycles
of the future life; and when he shall have
turned away from their iniquities all the
souls of mankind, THE Abrahamic cove
nant'' will be fulfilled, and ''the times of res
titution of all things" shall be completed
Req. g. L. Demdrest, ID. d., S. S. HELPER,
August, 1880.